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No. 2 O-D opens with rout of Elkhart Central

HAMLET — Oregon-Davis girls basketball head coach Terry Minix contends that his team’s offense stems from its defense.
The Class A No. 2 Lady Cats provided ample evidence of that against Elkhart Central, now coached by the man Minix credits for cultivating OD’s patented defense.
Thanks to their full-court defense and smothering half-court trap, the Cats scored 27 points off 35 turnovers in a 63-19 season-opening win over former OD assistant Will Coatie’s Blue Blazers Thursday at The Den.
“I’ve been saying for years that it all starts with defense,” Minix said. “We’re not a good half-court offensive team. We rely on our defense to get our offense going. I thought the first six minutes in the game that we played with a lot of energy.
“It’s (Coatie’s) defense,” Minix said of his former assistant. “He’s instilled the intensity in the girls. He’s very vocal and very passionate about defense. He’s taken over a program that’s struggled, but it’s not going to be very long before that’s a program people don’t want to play.”
OD junior guard Ashley Campbell personally outscored Elkhart Central with a game-high 20 points and dished out six assists.
Junior guard Alicia McIntosh drilled five triples — four of those during a 33-0 first-half run that put the Cats up 38-2 with a minute left before halftime — en route to 19 points and six boards.
“We started off really well,” McIntosh said. “Our defense definitely came out with momentum. Our game plan was to come out with intensity, blow them out in the first half and rest at the end.
“It was emotional,” she said of Coatie’s return to The Den. “He was yelling, and it’s usually toward us. It was different to hear him from the other side.”
Jessica Avarone, the third of OD’s big three junior guards, added 15 points, seven caroms, and five steals. Haley Collings chipped in six rebounds and four steals for the Cats.
“Alicia, she hit some big shots,” Minix said. “Ashley Campbell hit some shots, and Jesse made some unbelievable moves. Haley Collings did a nice job. We had too many turnovers and missed too many free throws; we’ll work on that. All in all, it was a good team effort.”
Tia Garnett scored 10 points to lead the Blazers, who finished 6 of 32 — 19 percent — from the field.
Despite the fact that his team logged three more turnovers than shot attempts, Coatie said he enjoyed returning to the school where he spent 12 seasons as an assistant.
“It was great coming back here,” Coatie said. “It’s the reason we scheduled this game, so our girls could play a good team. OD’s not just an average 1A team; they play that crazy defense. Our girls were able to see where we want to get. It was good and bad to be on the visitors’ bench. It was good because I’m a head coach, but it was bad because I’m so used to coaching (OD’s) girls. I was just talking to coach Minix about playing next year again here at OD.
“The scoreboard might not show it, but our kids played hard,” he added. “They’ve got the first part down which is playing hard. Now we need to work on the second part, and that’s playing smart. We’ll get there.”
OD hosts Westville Tuesday.
• OREGON-DAVIS 63,
ELKHART CENTRAL 19
At Hamlet
Score by quarters
EC: 2 8 12 19
OD: 24 38 55 63
ELKHART CENTRAL (19): Tussanee Irving 0 0-0 0, Amanda Dibley 0 0-0 0, Ally Delks 0 0-0 0, Madison Vaught 0 1-4 1, Daitriona Bonds 0 0-0 0, Regina Ritchie 0 0-0 0, Khyana Sanders 1 0-2 3, Tiara Bonds 1 0-2 3, Tia Garnett 4 0-1 10, Kira Stout 0 2-2 2, LaToria House 0 0-0 0, Jenai White 0 0-0 0, Katelyn Evans 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 6 3-11 19.
OD (63): Ashley Campbell 7 4-4 20, Alicia McIntosh 6 2-2 19, Jessica Avarone 6 2-6 15, Kendra Sauer 0 2-2 2, Zoe Seese 1 0-0 2, Lexi Minix 0 0-0 0, Ashley Clark 0 0-0 0, Katie Marsh 0 0-0 0, Haley Collings 2 1-3 5, Lincy Jones 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 22 11-17 63.
3-point goals: Elkhart Central 4 (Garnett 2, Sanders, Bonds), OD 8 (McIntosh 5, Campell 2, Avarone); Turnovers: Elkhart Central 35, OD 15; Rebounds: Elkhart Central 34 (Vaught 9), OD 42 (Avarone 7); Assists: Elkhart Central 1, OD 12 (Campbell 6); Steals: Elkhart Central 0, OD 14 (Avarone 5); Fouls (fouled out): Elkhart Central 15 (none), OD 15 (Minix).
Records: Elkhart Central 1-1, OD 1-0
JV score: OD 36, Elkhart Central 17